Politics

Tennesee Democratic Party Chairman calls state gun bill ‘Wild West’ legislation

Wild West showdownThe Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

These words have long sparked considerable debate between pro-Second Amendment supporters and gun control proponents, otherwise known as anti-gunners by some. Many believe in the individual’s constitutional right to own a firearm for personal protection.

Unfortunately in America we have gun control advocates who believe the Second Amendment is a privilege that can be taken away or regulated. One such anti-gunner, former Tennessee State Senator Roy Herron, would have us rely on law enforcement officers to arrive “in the nick of time” to save us.

The Chattanoogan.com website indicates that Herron believes in and trusts our law enforcement officials to protect us. However, what Herron may fail to realize is too many times a person needing protection might not have the seconds or minutes it takes for the sheriff or police to arrive to save them. It’s also interesting to note the Supreme Court has ruled law enforcement and the state doesn’t have the constitutional obligation to protect us.

In 1856, the U.S. Supreme Court (South v. Maryland) found that law enforcement officers had no affirmative duty to provide such protection. In 1982 (Bowers v. DeVito), the Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit held, “…there is no Constitutional right to be protected by the state against being murdered by criminals or madmen.”

Therefore since it’s been established that law enforcement has no “constitutional obligation” to protect us; it’s up to the individual to protect themselves and their family. If anti-gunners like Herron were to succeed in regulating and legislating our rights then we could find ourselves at the mercy of criminals seeking to do us harm. Furthermore it’s irresponsible for people with the mentality of Herron to take away our right to own a firearm.

It appears to this author that gun-control advocates would have us cowering in fear when a crazed gunman crosses our path. The anti-gunner’s fear tactics, through exploiting tragedies like the recent Fort Hood shooting, and statements used by them are reprehensible. Herron would have us believe that people openly carrying a firearm would cause our nation to return to the days of the “Wild West.” He said:

Tea Partiers may think the Wild West was a good idea, but no Tennessean in law enforcement does. This Wild West bill is not conservative, it’s crazy. It would have never passed the Senate if Democrats still had the majority- it never did before when Democrats held the majority. Instead, this bill was brewed up by the Tea Party Republicans in the Senate, 88% of whom voted yes and rammed this radical bill through over the without the votes of most Democrats.

Herron continued with: “When I was in the Senate, I sponsored and fought to pass the common-sense permitting law that has protected Tennesseans by helping keep guns out of the hands of criminals, drug addicts, the mentally unstable, and those not trained in gun safety. This ‘Wild West Bill’ destroys those public safety protections.”

Herron who is now the Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman, called the passage of Tennessee’s Senate Bill 2424, which eliminates the current requirement for handgun owners to have a permit to carry their weapon, “crazy.”

What many anti-gunners continually refuse to recognize is that criminals won’t obey gun-control laws. Gun-control laws will only tie the hands of law-abiding citizens who won’t have the means to stop a violent crime in progress or protect themselves if needed.

There have been several county sheriffs, and at least one judge, all across America who have called on citizens to arm themselves. A local judge in Ashtabula County, Ohio when asked what the citizens should do replied, “arm themselves.” (You can click here to read that article.) The financial crisis during 2010 caused massive police layoffs in Ashtabula County.

The sheriff’s department of Ashtabula County had to make drastic cuts slashing their department by 63 deputies. The cuts left only one vehicle to patrol and protect citizens in the 720 square mile county. This is a prime example there are not enough law enforcement officials to do the job Herron trusts and believes they can do.

Local law enforcement can’t always be there to protect us. They either lack the manpower or there’s not enough time to save those needing it. Therefore it’s up to each person living in our nation to protect themselves and their family because the only thing standing between you and death is your right to openly carry.

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